1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to composite panels for vehicles and, more particularly, to a composite panel having a cargo-securing track incorporated therein and being adapted to form the body of a cargo-carrying vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Cargo-carrying vehicles such as vans or trucks typically include a cargo-carrying body secured to the frame of the vehicle. Such a body is generally comprised of vertical and horizontal panels joined together so as to define a space for carrying the cargo. However, in some instances, there may be insufficient cargo to fill the body, which may cause the cargo to slide or otherwise undesirably move about the interior of the body during transport, thereby possibly resulting in damage to the cargo. In other instances, the nature of the cargo may be such that items may need to be placed in a certain orientation, such as upright against a wall of the body, but such items may be prone to falling over or impacting other items or the wall and thereby becoming damaged during transport. Thus, in either instance, the cargo must be sufficiently secured during transport so as to prevent damage to the items. In addition, the body is typically formed from a metal framework structure having panels attached thereto by fasteners. Such construction may be labor intensive and produce a heavy body for the vehicle, wherein the extra weight may further undesirably translate into, for example, reduced payload capacity and reduced fuel mileage for the vehicle.
One approach to securing cargo within the body of a cargo-carrying vehicle has been to provide cargo-securing tracks at periodic intervals along the walls of the body. Cargo-securing straps are provided in conjunction with the tracks, wherein each strap typically include clip ends configured to interact with the track so as to secure the straps to the body. Generally, such clip ends are inserted through an aperture in the track and include a latch mechanism to secure the clip end to the back surface of the track behind the aperture. Accordingly, such tracks often require space behind the apertures so as to allow the clip ends to be inserted. As a result the tracks are often mounted to the walls of the body so as to protrude therefrom to provide the necessary space behind the apertures. However, in such instances, the protrusion of the tracks from the walls is undesirable since the cargo-carrying space of the body is interrupted. Further, the tracks are typically through-bolted to the walls of the body. As such, where the panels form the body of a refrigerated truck, insulating efficiency is lost due to the thermal conductive path through the bolts from the inside surface of the truck body to the outside surface.
Thus, there exists a need for a body for a cargo-carrying vehicle formed from a lightweight, yet structurally robust, composite material. Such a body should desirably include cargo-securing tracks which are incorporated into the body so as to be flush therewith such that no component protrudes into the interior cargo-carrying space of the body. However, the flush-mounted cargo-securing tracks should also be capable of receiving a clip end of a cargo strap so as to secure the strap to the body. In addition, there exists a need for an insulated body for a refrigerated cargo-carrying vehicle having the desirable structural considerations as described, but which minimizes or eliminates heat conduction paths between the facing sheets of the composite so as to provide a more efficient insulating body.
The above and other needs are met by the present invention which, in one embodiment, provides a cargo-securing panel adapted to form a body of a cargo-carrying vehicle. Such a panel comprises a honeycomb-configured core having opposed faces, wherein the core defines an angular groove having a portion extending between the faces and a portion extending through one of the faces. The core further defines a recess adjacent to the groove. A facing sheet is engaged with the one face of the core so as to form a composite. The facing sheet defines a gap extending therethrough in correspondence with the portion of the groove extending through the one face. An angular member includes a flange corresponding to the groove and is configured to be slidably engaged with the groove in order to secure the member to the composite. The member further includes an external portion extending outside the core and parallel to the one face, wherein the external portion defines an aperture corresponding to the recess in the core. The recess is adapted to receive a clip end of a cargo strap therein through the aperture so as to allow the clip end to cooperate with the angular member to secure the cargo strap to the composite.
Another advantageous aspect of the present invention comprises a method of forming a cargo-securing panel adapted to form a body of a cargo-carrying vehicle. First, an angular member is engaged with a corresponding angular groove in a composite in order to secure the member thereto. The composite has a honeycomb-configured core with opposed faces, with a facing sheet engaged with one of the faces. The angular groove includes a portion extending between the faces and a portion extending through the one face. The facing sheet defines a gap extending therethrough in correspondence with the portion of the groove extending through the one face. The member has a flange corresponding to the groove and is configured to be slidably engaged therewith. The member further includes an external portion capable of extending across the gap, outside the core and parallel to the one face, wherein the external portion defines an aperture. A recess is then formed in the core through the aperture, wherein the recess is adapted to receive a clip end of a cargo strap therein through the aperture so as to allow the clip end to cooperate with the angular member to secure the cargo strap to the composite.
Still another advantageous aspect of the present invention comprises a body for a cargo-carrying vehicle. Such a body includes a cargo-securing panel having a honeycomb-configured core with opposed faces, wherein the core defines an angular groove having a portion extending between the faces and a portion extending through one of the faces. The core further defines a recess adjacent to the groove. A facing sheet is engaged with the one face of the core so as to form a composite, wherein the facing sheet defines a gap extending therethrough in correspondence with the portion of the groove extending through the one face. An angular member is operably engaged with the panel. The member has a flange corresponding to the groove and is configured to be slidably engaged therewith in order to secure the member to the composite. The member further includes an external portion extending outside the core and parallel to the one face, wherein the external portion defines an aperture corresponding to the recess in the core. The recess is adapted to receive a clip end of a cargo strap therein through the aperture so as to allow the clip end to cooperate with the angular member to secure the cargo strap to the panel.
Yet another advantageous aspect of the present invention comprises a cargo-securing panel adapted to form a body of a cargo-carrying vehicle. Such a panel includes an elongate channel member having a first surface and a second surface defining at least one aperture. The panel further includes a honeycomb-configured core having opposed faces, wherein the core defines a groove extending through one of the faces. A facing sheet is conformally engaged with the one face so as to contiguously extend across the face and through the groove and to form a composite with the core. The groove is configured to be capable of securedly receiving the channel member therein such that the second surface of the channel member extends across the groove and is substantially flush with the facing sheet.
A further advantageous aspect of the present invention comprises a method of forming a cargo-securing panel adapted to form a body of a cargo-carrying vehicle. First, a groove is formed in a composite. The composite includes a honeycomb-configured core having opposed faces and a facing sheet engaged with one of the faces, whereby the core defines the groove, the groove extends through the one face, and the facing sheet is conformally engaged with the one face so as to contiguously extend across the face and through the groove. A channel member is then secured to the facing sheet within the groove, wherein the channel member has a first surface and a second surface defining at least one aperture. The channel member is secured within the groove such that the second surface of the channel member extends across the groove and is substantially flush with the facing sheet.
Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide a lightweight, yet structurally robust, composite material from which a body for a cargo-carrying vehicle can be formed. Such a composite material includes cargo-securing tracks incorporated therein, wherein the tracks are flush with the composite such that no portion of the track protrudes from the composite forming a wall of the body into the interior cargo-carrying space of the body. The flush-mounted cargo-securing tracks are further capable of receiving a clip end of a cargo strap through an aperture and into a recess in the core of the composite so as to secure the strap to the body. Embodiments of the present invention further provide that the composite material may be filled with an insulating material and may therefore be used to form an insulated body for a refrigerated cargo-carrying vehicle. With the insulated composite having the desirable structural considerations as described, heat conduction paths between the facing sheets of the composite are minimized or eliminated and a more efficient insulating body is therefore provided. As such, embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages as detailed herein.